DX LISTENING DIGEST 5-133, August 8, 2005
Incorporating REVIEW OF INTERNATIONAL BROADCASTING
edited by Glenn Hauser, http://www.worldofradio.com
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NEXT AIRINGS OF WORLD OF RADIO 1283:
Mon 1800 WOR RFPI [repeated 4-hourly thru 1400 Tue]
Tue 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours
Tue 2330 WOR WBCQ 7415 [unscheduled, but several weeks lately]
Wed 0930 WOR WWCR 9985
Wed 1600 WOR WBCQ after hours
Latest edition of this schedule version, with hotlinks to station
sites and audio, is at: http://www.worldofradio.com/radioskd.html
WRN ON DEMAND:
http://new.wrn.org/listeners/stations/station.php?StationID=24
OUR ONDEMAND AUDIO [also CONTINENT OF MEDIA, MUNDO RADIAL]:
http://www.worldofradio.com/audiomid.html
WORLD OF RADIO 1283 (high version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1283h.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1283h.rm
WORLD OF RADIO 1283 (low version):
(stream) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1283.ram
(download) http://www.w4uvh.net/wor1283.rm
(summary) http://www.worldofradio.com/wor1283.html
WORLD OF RADIO 1283 in true SW sound of Alex`s mp3:
(stream) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_08-03-05.m3u
(download) http://www.dxprograms.net/worldofradio_08-03-05.mp3
WORLD OF RADIO 1283 downloads in studio-quality mp3:
(high) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1283h.mp3
(low) http://www.obriensweb.com/wor1283.mp3
WORLD OF RADIO PODCAST: www.obriensweb.com/wor.xml (currently 1277,
Extra 57, 1278, 1279, 1280, Extra 58, 1281, 1282, 1283)
** AFGHANISTAN [non]. U.K.(non): No transmission on Aug. 7/8 of
Internews/Salaam Watandar via VT Communications
1300-1430 on 15500 RMP 500 kW / 095 deg to WeAs in Dari/Pashto.
Cancelled or NF? (Observer, Bulgaria, Aug 8, via DXLD)
** AUSTRALIA. ANALYSIS: DIGITAL RADIO AND TV IN AUSTRALIA | Text of
editorial analysis by Danny Keyes of BBC Monitoring Media Services on
8 August
The Australian government first began the process of switching from
analogue to digital signals as far back as December 1998. The then
minister for communications and information technology and the arts,
Richard Alston, commented on the findings of a report by Digital
Business Consulting, estimating that "25 per cent of Australia's 6.8m
homes would have digital television receivers by 2005".
The broadcasting of digital television was scheduled to begin on 1
January 2001 in metropolitan areas, with digital transmissions to
rural areas scheduled to start four years later. The minister also
stated that broadcasters were required to broadcast "substantially the
same service in analogue and digital". This cross-over period is set
to continue for at least eight years from the first transmission in
digital format.
Promoting digital sources
Digital radio and television have been promoted heavily over the past
few years. Most recently, in May 2005 ABC (Australian Broadcasting
Corporation) offered listeners in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth,
Hobart and Canberra the opportunity to win a digital TV set-top box.
An early promotion or themed day was one where listeners were able to
have scrolling messages appearing on Valentine's Day.
Radio
A study group, including representatives from the Australian
Broadcasting Authority and the Australian Communications Authority,
was formed in May 2003 to look at the impact of digital radio in
Australia.
Sydney was the first city to begin digital radio trials in December
2003. The trial included all commercial broadcasters and both national
broadcasters (ABC and SBS), a total of 13 stations. There is a broad
mix of stations available from news and current affairs to music-based
stations.
Only two broadcasters so far are known to be broadcasting any data
along with the audio signal. These are 2GB which broadcasts 24-hour
scrolling news and its sister station 2GBplus where up-to-the-minute
rugby league scores along with other game information is available
during games as well as 24-hour rolling news, and 2CH who broadcast
music track listings and news headlines. The industry body overseeing
the trials has reported that digital radio transmissions can only be
heard within a 20-km radius of Sydney.
A recent survey of panellists in the Sydney area shows that 52 per
cent listen to the radio more often now they have access to digital
radio, whilst only 10 per cent think that they listen to the radio
less, with 42 per cent of panellists listening to the radio for
longer.
Television
Digital television was launched on 1 January 2002. A survey in April
of 2002 of free-to-air, pay TV and advertising executives predicted
that the uptake of digital TV would be around 46 per cent of the
population by 2008.
Digital television is now available throughout the country in all
capital cities, with many regional centres also having access to it.
Digital Broadcasting Australia (DBA) announced that at the end of June
2005, about 820,000 homes in Australia - almost 11 per cent of
Australia's 7.6 million homes - owned either set-top boxes or
integrated digital TV sets.
There are currently two government-run digital TV stations, ABC2 and
SBS (Special Broadcasting Service).
Government figures suggest that by the end of 2005 more than 95 per
cent of the population will have access to ABC's digital TV service.
SBS is a multicultural broadcaster, targeting those parts of the
population where English is not the first language.
The remainder of the stations available are commercial broadcasters
offering a range of programmes. Many of these stations now offer
interactive services as part of their digital broadcasts.
In the most recent information bulletin on its website, DBA reported
that sales of integrated digital televisions had increased from 1,000
units per month in 2004 to almost 9,000 for the quarter ending June
2005.
However, DBA is concerned that residents of apartment blocks may be
missing out on receiving digital TV, as the Master Antenna Systems
(MATV) currently in use in apartment blocks are unable to receive
digital signals. Source: BBC Monitoring research 8 Aug 05 (via DXLD)
** AUSTRIA. Por falta de um departamento de correspondência, a Rádio
Áustria Internacional não está respondendo às cartas e informes dos
ouvintes com regularidade. É o que Manuel Aletrino, a única pessoa que
ficou na emissora fazendo um noticiário de cinco minutos em espanhol,
informou, recentemente, a Leonardo Santiago, de Mérida, na Venezuela
(Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 7 via DXLD)
** AUSTRIA. Two new DRM tests to UK: see DIGITAL BROADCASTING below
** BAHRAIN. See BAHREIN
** BAHREIN. El pasado 6 de julio a las 2245 horas y por la frecuencia
de 9745 kilohercios muy sorpresivamente se captó en Sofía la "Radio de
Bahrein" desde Manama. Hay que decir que esa emisora no se captaba en
la capital de Bulgaria desde 1986, año en que transmitía en 15495
kilohercios (Por Rumen Pankov, Versión al español: Mijail Mijailov, R.
Bulgaria DX program Via Dino Bloise, Florida, EEUU, dxldyg via DXLD)
** BELARUS [non]. GERMAN BROADCASTER DENIES BIAS AGAINST BELARUSIAN
LANGUAGE | Text of report in English by Belarusian news agency Belapan
Minsk, 8 August: The head of Deutsche Welle's Russian Service in an
interview with Belapan dismissed criticism that the German
international broadcaster is biased against the Belarusian language.
Deutsche Welle just has no funds to open a separate Belarusian
department for a programme to be broadcast to Belarus, Cornelia Rabitz
said.
The German broadcaster has won a contract of the European Commission
to make a 30-minute programme for Belarus that will be broadcast in
Russian.
The project comes as part of the European Union's efforts to create
alternative and accessible information sources for Belarus, which are
specified in its draft action plan for promoting democracy in the
country. The expected use of Russian in Deutsche Welle's programme has
been met with severe criticism from many Belarusian public figures who
advocate wider use of Belarusian. They accused the EU of what they say
action in line with the Belarusian authorities' policy of
discrimination against Belarusian in favour of Russian.
As Ms Rabitz said, she regrets that Deutsche Welle has come under
fire. The company should be praised rather than criticized, as it has
undertaken to make a separate programme for Belarus, she said, adding
that "it is stupid to say that Russian is bad and Belarusian is good".
"There is much talk about the need for the media to do something for
Belarus," she said. "We have prepared a specific project and are
making the first step at least. We had an alternative of doing nothing
and talking about the need to do something."
According to her, Deutsche Welle "flatly" denies accusations that it
"sympathizes with the [President Alyaksandr] Lukashenka regime." "Our
notion of press freedom and fundamental democratic values differ from
his," she stressed. "It is a great mistake to view those broadcasting
in Russian as supporters of the Lukashenka regime."
Ms Rabitz noted that Deutsche Welle has been broadcasting a Russian-
language programme for five post-Soviet countries in Central Asia for
four years and no-one has ever criticized the programmes. "On the
contrary, the programme is valued and is a great success," she said.
Deutsche Welle is expected to launch the programme for Belarus in
September. The commission plans to provide 138,000 euros annually for
the project. Source: Belapan news agency, Minsk, in English 1255 gmt 8
Aug 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** BRAZIL. A Rádio Pioneira, de Teresina (PI), está no ar, em 5015
kHz, entre 0700 e 2300. O contato na emissora é Rosemiro Robinson. A
direção postal é: Rua 24 de Janeiro, 150 Sul, CEP: 64001-230, Teresina
(PI). E-mail: pioneira @ radiopioneira.am.br As informações são de
Paulo Roberto e Souza, de Tefé (AM). (Célio Romais, Panorama,
@tividade DX Aug 7 via DXLD) Não é tempo local? (gh, DXLD)
BRASIL – Desde Tefé (AM), Paulo Roberto e Souza atualiza informações
sobre a Rádio Alvorada, de Parintins (AM), que emite, entre 2200 e
0200, em 4965 kHz. O contato na emissora é Raimunda Ribeiro da Silva.
A direção postal é a seguinte: Rua Governador Leopoldo Neves, 516,
CEP: 69151-460, Parintins (AM). E-mails: alvorada @ parintinsnet.com e
alvorada @ jurupari.com.br (Célio Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 7
via DXLD)
** CANADA. O'REILLY ON ADVERTISING CBC RADIO TONITE
If you have an interest in radio, pop music, jingles or the way
advertising gets your attention, this program is for you. I heard a
preview a little while ago; it`s chock full of old jingles especially
the cola wars --- Petula Clark, BB King, Tom Jones, Johnny Cash all
promoting rival drinks. Some neat bits of radio history not to mention
an interesting topic.
(Not able to hear CBC Radio because of distance...CBC stations across
the country in various time zones all stream --- so go to
http://www.cbc.ca/local/ and choose a city you want to hear online.
Miss the show? Listen an hour later in another time zone.)
Monday, August 8, 2005, 7:30 p.m. 08/08/05 Music in Advertising:
Terry O'Reilly explores ways that an ad jingle helps plant information
in your brain: and how modern advertisers are using popular music to
forge an emotional link to their brand. Don't be surprised to find
yourself remembering all the words to jingles you haven't heard in
years.
O'Reilly on Advertising regularly airs on*: CBC Radio One
Mondays, 7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
* - St. Catharines Schedule
[view cross-country schedule for this program]
O'Reilly on Advertising offers a rare cook's tour of the Ad Game. Your
host is Terry O'Reilly, one of the world's top Radio/Voiceover
directors, who lives, works and eats at the epicentre of Canadian
Advertising. It features the world's greatest ads, tells the stories
behind them, then gets under the hood to show you what makes 'em tick.
Or hum, or purr, (or what have you). More than good, it's good for
you: O'Reilly on Advertising is a great weekly source of Media
Literacy.
O’Reilly on Advertising, with host Terry O'Reilly. Saturdays at 9:30
a.m. (10 a.m. NT) and Mondays at 7:30 p.m. (8 p.m. NT) on CBC Radio
One.
http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/program/index.jsp?program=O%27Reilly%20on%20Advertising&network=CBC%20Radio%20One&startDate=2005/08/08&startTime=19:30
(Fred Waterer, ON, dxldyg via DXLD)
I have been enjoying this immensely (for one who zaps almost all ads
on TV). Usually catch it Saturdays 1330 UT on RCI 9515, 13655, 17800.
It`s also on RCI UT Tuesdays 0130 on 9755, 11990, 13710 (Glenn, ibid.)
** CANADA. CJML 580: As per the posting above [from gh] they are back
on the air for about 2 weeks (until Aug 20) --- Running all of 99
watts into a wire.
Mailing address:
2565 Broadcasters
P. O. Box 46124
RPO Westdale
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3R 3S3
Telephone Number: operational during broadcast hours ONLY 895 - 2565
On the air from 07:00 to 22:00 Central Daylight Saving Time [1200-0300
UT]. The site is up and running at: http://cjml.cjb.net/
(Shawn Axelrod, VE4DX1SMA, MB, Aug 8, dxing.info via DXLD)
** CHINA. PRESS FREEDOM GROUP SUBMITS FREE EXPRESSION PETITION TO IOC
Two Reporters Without Borders representatives went to the headquarters
of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne today, three years
to the day before the opening of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in
Beijing, which will be covered by thousands of journalists from all
over the world but will be spoiled by the lack of press freedom in
China and its government's cruel suppression of dissent.
Reporters Without Borders went to the IOC in order to hand in a letter
to its president, Jacques Rogue, with a petition signed by 4,000
people calling on the IOC's member countries to put pressure on China
to allow more freedom of expression.
The press freedom organisation had on several occasions requested a
meeting with Rogue to discuss these issues, but never received a
reply.
The IOC does not stop congratulating itself over the progress in
construction for the Beijing Olympics. But there are no public
statements of concern about the lack of free expression which could
affect the work of the press and the transparency necessary for the
games. Worse still, a senior IOC official recently had no qualms about
defending China's strict curbs on the news media in the name of every
country's right to a "specific communication policy."
China is the world's biggest prison for journalists, cyber-dissidents
and Internet users. Nearly 100 are currently detained - many of them
serving long sentences - for freely expressing their views on such
issues as democracy, corruption and the plight of minorities.
The Chinese are still not respecting their undertaking to the IOC to
let foreign journalists work freely. Aside from the hundreds of
blocked foreign news websites, the public security department keeps
foreign correspondents under surveillance and does not hesitate to
detain, threaten or even rough up those who violate the sacrosanct
"Guide for correspondents working in China."
For example, two journalists working for the BBC World Service - a
Japanese man and an American woman - were arrested, stripped naked and
questioned by the police last month while investigating a massacre of
peasants by thugs in the pay of land speculators just a few kilometres
outside Beijing.
In August of last year, foreign news photographers were beaten by
Chinese police during a football match in Beijing. No police officer
was sanctioned.
More generally, the freedom of movement of foreign journalists is
restricted. They must request authorisation each time they want to go
outside of Beijing. Are these the conditions in which the IOC would
like journalists to work before and during the Olympic games ?
"The IOC has a duty to influence the Chinese government's policy
towards Chinese and foreign journalists," said Reporters Without
Borders secretary-general Robert Ménard. "Failure to act on this
crucial point would be a momentous failure in the history of the
Olympic Games."
The repression of dissident movements and ethnic or religious
minorities has never stopped since the 2008 Olympic Games were awarded
to Beijing in July 2001. The Chinese authorities harass those who
might be tempted to spoil the party. Public executions in stadiums
continue to take place in some provinces. This is why Reporters
Without Borders continues to call for a boycott of the 2008 Olympic
Games.
The thousands of signatories of the petition - a letter entitled
"China : gold medal for human rights violations" - say, "In view of
the massive human rights violations in China, I think it is
unacceptable if not dangerous to allow the Chinese government to
organise the most prestigious sports event."
# posted by Andy @ 13:37 UT Aug 8 (Media Network blog and via David
Pringle-Wood, Zimbabwe, DXLD)
Hi Glenn, A radio related issue? --- not DX stuff. Chinese jamming is
effective: SW Radio Africa programming to Zimbabwe was silenced by the
local regime with total Chinese assistance (David Pringle-Wood,
Harare, Zimbabwe, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
CHINA PLANS "TOTAL WAR ON PRESS FREEDOM", JOURNALIST GROUP WARNS |
Text of International Federation of Journalists press release on 8
August
The International Federation of Journalists today warned that Chinese
plans to ban new foreign television channels and step up censorship as
well as recent threats to prosecute detained journalists for spying
and the banning of a global satellite channel may signal the start of
"total war on press freedom" in the country.
On 5 August, Chinese news sources reported that China 's Culture
Ministry is to tighten controls over the 31 foreign television
satellite broadcasters holding licences to operate in the country. The
government plans to ban new licences for companies to import
newspapers and magazines, electronic publications, audiovisual
products and children's cartoons.
The news came on the day that the Beijing National Security Bureau
announced it was to prosecute dissident writer Ching Cheong, a veteran
Hong Kong journalist, accusing him of spying for Taiwan . Ching was
arrested in April this year. He faces the death penalty if the charges
are proved.
The arrest of the veteran journalist, who has reported on China for
more than 20 years and has many high-level contacts among government
officials and prominent academics, may be intended to send a message
to the media about the limits placed on press freedom by the Communist
leadership.
In March this year the IFJ protested strongly when European satellite
company Eutelsat bowed to Chinese official pressure and cancelled the
contract of [New] Tang Dynasty TV (NTDTV) a US-based Chinese
television network, ending its access to satellite facilities that
could reach millions of viewers in mainland China. The channel,
founded in 2001, has gained an international reputation for its
objective and timely reporting of political, economic and cultural
stories in Chinese.
"China is turning its fire on journalism and free speech on a number
of fronts," said Aidan White, IFJ general secretary. "It is impossible
not to conclude that this new mood of intolerance and intimidation of
independent journalism could signal the start of total war on press
freedom."
The IFJ says that over the past two years, the government has
intensified its campaign to censor material that communist leaders
worry constitutes politically and socially dangerous influences.
The IFJ says the accusations against Ching Cheong will have "chilling
affects on the media's coverage of mainland China," according to IFJ
President Christopher Warren. The IFJ and its Hong Kong affiliate the
Hong Kong Journalists' Association (HKJA) says he must be given a fair
trial in line with international standards of jurisprudence as well as
access his relatives, legal representation and aid from the Hong Kong
Special Administrative Region Government.
The IFJ fears that Ching's arrest, which has sparked international
condemnation, is designed to send a message to the media about the
limits placed on press freedom by the Communist leadership. Ching had
worked as the Beijing bureau chief for Hong Kong's leftist Wen Wei Po
newspaper but quit in 1989 in protest against the Chinese army's
suppression of the Tiananmen Square demonstrations for democracy.
He is the second employee of a foreign news organization taken into
custody in a year. New York Times researcher Zhao Yan was formally
arrested last October for revealing state secrets, but he has yet to
go on trial. There are some 40 journalists thought to be jailed in
China - the highest in the world.
"While Western media companies scramble for access to the lucrative
Chinese markets, they must not ignore the shocking truth that China is
stifling free and independent opinion," said White. "Governments,
international organizations and media must stand together for
democratic values and defence of journalists."
For further information, please contact +32 2 235 22 00
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries
Source: International Federation of Journalists press release,
Brussels, in English 8 Aug 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
** CHINA [and non]. AN APPEAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS: STOP RADIO
JAMMING! --- By Virginia Louis The Epoch Times Aug 07, 2005
In the name of freedom of expression, Mr. Michel Wu, former
correspondent in France for the Xinhua Agency, courageously resigned
from this media agency that has been strictly controlled and
manipulated by the CCP ever since the 1989 events at Tiananmen
Square. He subsequently became editor chief of Radio France
Internationals Mandarin Language Service. (The Epoch Times)
Sound of Hope Radio (or Son de lEspoir), an independent Chinese
radio network which broadcasts to many parts of the world, is being
jammed by the Chinese Communist Party. A former journalist from the
Xinhua Agency and later, editor for 13 years in the Chinese Language
Service of Radio France International (RFI), launches an appeal at the
UN to bring this jamming to an end.
Mr. Michel Wu, a journalist for more than 40 years, recalled how the
totalitarianism of the CCP manifests in absolute control of the
media, both inside and outside China, and even in our western
countries where coercion is used in broadcasting as well as in the
transmission of information. He pointed out that the CCP, having a
complete political stranglehold, strictly prevents the circulation of
authentic information.
'This Radio Network Allows the Chinese People to Open Up to the World
And to Their Own Country'
As a journalist and a former editor in RFIs Chinese Language Service,
Mr. Wu launched an appeal to the international community and to the
ITU (International Telecommunications Union) to bring the jamming to
an end and to allow Sound of Hope Radio to continue broadcasting
throughout China, for in this country, where freedom of expression is
completely flouted, he said, this radio network succeeds in
broadcasting very factual documentaries on world affairs and on China,
and this is what the Chinese people need to hear about today. Mr. Lin
Xiaoxu, spokesman for Sound of Hope Radio, said in a telephone
interview that this independent Chinese radio network broadcasts on
three frequencies on short wave, covering China four hours a day. The
ratings are significant (10 million listeners), as many Chinese people
at home say that they are thus informed of what is really happening
in their own country and in the world as a whole.
Strong Protest by the Radio against the Jamming Techniques of the CCP
For several months, however, Sound of Hope`s broadcasts are being
seriously jammed by the CCP. Instead of picking up our broadcasts,
listeners now hear drums, music or State radio programs; and when the
broadcast is finished, everything goes back to normal, Lin Xiaoxu
said.
In 2004, Reporters without Borders reported that the Thales Group, an
association based in France, sold military equipment to China
specifically to jam radio broadcasts and to disturb and interrupt
foreign programmes to China. Mr Lin explained that, according to
sources inside China, the National Security Office, the Public
Security Office and the military arms General Section II are the
departments officially responsible for controlling and censoring
foreign broadcasts. The military arms General Section II directs the
technical aspects to produce jamming. This coordinated action has
seriously violated the right to receive information freely for
billions [sic] of Chinese people.
Sound of Hope Radio has effectively become the Chinese Communist
Partys chief target. It has used a whole range of interference and
jamming techniques on the Radio far surpassing those used hitherto
on RFI, BBC, VOA, and Radio Free Asia. Lin Xiaoxu pointed out that
this interference is due, on the one hand, to the special and
comprehensive broadcast by Sound of Hope Radio on the Nine
Commentaries on the Chinese Communist Party (a series of editorials
published by The Epoch Times newspaper, denouncing the crimes
committed for more than 50 years by the CCP) and, on the other, to
coverage of the current growing and unprecedented phenomenon of
resignations (more than 3,450,000 in seven months) and defections by
members of the CCP.
Sound of Hope Radio`s multilingual editions (French, English,
Chinese, Spanish) strongly protest against this intensive interference
with their broadcasts to China, and against the blocking of open lines
for listeners to call the Radio - also the work of the CCP. These
actions on the part of the CCP are against the principle of freedom of
expression and seriously breach the norms of international radio
broadcasting.
Several radio stations, including Radio Netherlands, in defence of
freedom of the press and of democracy, have given their support and
have proposed communal action, e.g. submitting a joint file to ITU
(International Telecommunications Union). Sound of Hope is launching
an appeal worldwide for your support and suggestions, to bring this
radio jamming to an end. To offer your ideas and your support:
Write, in English, to: xiaoxulin @ soundofhope.org or, in French, to:
echodelasie @ allmail.net
Listen to L`Echo de l`Asie, a Sound of Hope Radio broadcast in Geneva,
98.4 FM (Switzerland) and 98 FM (Neighbouring France) on Sundays
from 1600 to 1700 and Mondays from 1900 to 2000 [CEST?]
Web site in English: http://eng.soundofhope.org
in French: http://www.soundofhope.org/category-530-1.htm
Copyright 2000 - 2005 | The Epoch Times (via Mike Cooper, DXLD)
** COSTA RICA. Re 5-132, 5054.6v: Reactivated?- Faro del Caribe? Also
noted on mini-DXpedition to the Coorong on August 5 & 6 from around
0815 UT fade in both evenings. Cheers (Craig Edwards, South Australia,
HCDX via DXLD)
Björn Malm in Ecuador confirmed it and I come here to reconfirm it: It
is TIFC, Faro del Caribe (Caribbean Lighthouse, as I heard an
announcer call it many years ago) the Costa Rican Oldest Evangelical
Station what many coLleagues have been hearing or reporting on 5055v.
I phoned them and talked to transmission engineer Salvador López who
told me they have been testing since last week after a long time off
the air. The occasion to log it seems good for everyone out there
as he told me Faro is running all around the clock these days. But
once testings are over the schedule will be 0000 to 0400 and 1000 to
1600 UT.
They used to come out on the 31 mb [9645v] in the past but no plans
for this in the near future.
TIFC was founded in the late 1930s when San Francisco de Dos Ríos,
where studios are located, were the huge coffee plantations of
Southern San José. As happened the world over, they have to move their
AM transmitters out from what after 65 years has become one the most
populated outskirts of Tiquicia's capital city, to their current
transmitter field in Santo Domingo de Heredia. Regards (Raúl Saavedra,
Costa Rica, Aug 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** CUBA. All F'ed up in Habana --- 530, Rebelde/Radio Cadena Habana
(or whatever they throw here) -- seems to still be silent. A threshold
carrier, no audio. If them, not making it with audio up here.
Otherwise, either a weak signal from Visión Cristiana or a SW coast
Florida TIS.
590 Musical -- rockin'-in (oops, Chopin'in-in), though WDIZ-Panama
City (oddly them, not the Clewiston, FL Mexican format station) is
clearly underneath, 2000 GMT, Aug. 8.
640 Progreso -- is back on at 2000 GMT check Aug. 8 (noted off by Paul
Zecchino local eve August 7th), but also with signal issues. It's
always been rock steady, local level. Now it's all fluttery, and
someone else is even being heard poorly underneath (domestic, think).
660 Progeso -- absolutely horrible warbling buzz, usually rendering
the audio useless, 2000+ Aug. 8.
1180 Rebelde -- despite the dual transmitter delays, hets, etc. that
we've been hearing in the local overnights, it is always local in the
daylight hour here. But not so today. 1945+ GMT Aug. 8, it's a
horrible train wreck. Sounds like someone is trying to snuff it out
with a big pillow. Big unsteady buzz, with (one of the?) transmitters
varying, let's just say for the sake of argument coming in around
1179.75+/-. Maybe Martí-Marathon is also subaudible in the mix
too, who knows (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater FL, 2015 UT Aug 8, DX
LISTENING DIGEST)
[Later at 2146:] The fun & games in Cuba continue. Checking shortwave
6000 kHz at 2110 GMT (5:10 p.m. EDT) today, August 8th, noted this was
in parallel to 5025 (thus, relaying Radio Rebelde). Indeed, parallel
the horrid (see previous report) 1180 kHz signal. And also on 6060,
9550, 9600, 11760, 11875, 15230 and 17705 as well. Lots of Hugo Chávez
praises. Programming is "Esta transmisión especial... Rebelde desde
Venezuela, festival mundial de... inauguración Telesur..." So I guess
today is the official opening (post soft opening) of Venezuela's
Telesur (Terry L. Krueger, Clearwater, FL, Aug 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** ETHIOPIA [non]. RUSSIA(non): Tensae Ethiopia Voice of Unity in
Amharic now on air: 1500-1600 Daily (ex Sun-Fri) on 15660 SAM 250 kW /
199 deg to EaAf (Observer, Bulgaria, Aug 8, via DXLD)
** EUROPE [and non]. Huge resources for pirate radio --- Huge address
list of Pirates on SW and MW. find the list directly at
http://www.alfalima.net/pirateinfo-adressen.htm
SW pirates group has almost now 1100 members!!!!!!!, and real members
that are active as non existing email addresses are automatically
removed from the list after a while. this calls for celebration.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SWpirates/
Alfa Lima's pirate radio forum at http://www.alfalima.net/forum now
passed the 200 members!! Spread the word, for those who can add links
to these ones, Highly appreciated.
Did you also know that the radio and transmitter tech group has
already more than 1300 active members, These groups are getting to be
some major and very important internet tools for these hobbies,
GREAT!!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/The_Radio_and_Transmitter_Electronics
(Alfred, AlfaLima, Aug 8, HCDX via DXLD)
First link is worldwide list of pirates by name, North American mixed
in with European, contact info (gh, DXLD)
** FRANCE. RFI TO BOOST SHORT-WAVE BROADCASTS IN WEST AFRICA | Text of
report by French news agency AFP
Paris, 8 August: Radio France Internationale (RFI) announced today
that it was going to boost its short wave broadcasts into West Africa
"so as to make listening easier" for its private listeners on the FM
signal [sic]. RFI says in a statement that it has "decided to
strengthen its short-wave broadcasts into West Africa so as to make
listening easier for listeners who are not able to receive RFI's FM
signal, in particular in countries where its broadcasts are
suspended". All information on short-wave frequencies and schedules is
available on RFI's website http://www.rfi.fr
RFI's broadcast on FM was suspended this year in Côte d'Ivoire and
Togo, the spokesman reminded his audience. It has also been suspended
in Mauritania since 2001, he added. Source: AFP news agency, Paris, in
French 1644 gmt 8 Aug 05 (via BBCM via DXLD) Details of the
expansion?? (gh)
** GERMANY. Some DTK T-Systems changes:
Bible Voice Broadcasting Network (BVBN):
0845-1015 NF 17595 WER 125 kW / 135 deg Fri to ME in Arabic, ex 17565
Pan American Broadcasting (PAB) from Aug. 6:
1600-1630 on 13820 JUL 100 kW / 100 deg Sat to ME in Persian, ex in
English (Observer, Bulgaria, Aug 8, via DXLD) See also BELARUS [non]
** GHANA. Radio Ghana heard on 60 m's... Hello Hard Core DX Folks, I
have been a SWL'er for the last 25+ years, but never really reported
my loggings, so in "this regard" I'm "new" at postings.
For the last week, I have been hearing Radio Ghana, on 4915 kHz,
usually best from 2200/2300 - till 0000 or later. Right now, on my
"portable", Sony 2010, it's 'pegging' the LED readout, signal
strength meter. On my Drake R-7, it's a solid S-8/9. Today's show
which I have been listening to for the last hour+ has been with
popular music, most/all of which has been in English! Not bad for
Summer! 60 meters, and relatively 'quiet' conditions at my QTH, here
in Western Connecticut hills. 73, (Irv Ambler, New Fairfield,
Connecticut USA (70 miles NorthEast from New York City), Aug 7, HCDX
via DXLD) Scheduled until 2400* only (gh, DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL INTERNET. GOOGLE IMPOSES BLACKOUT ON ... GOOGLE?
Hidden Angle August 08, 2005
What happens when Google itself gets Googled? The apparent answer: it
reacts much like any privacy-obsessed corporation would when a
journalist asks too many questions. . .
http://www.cjrdaily.org/archives/001728.asp
(CJR Daily via DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM. Amateur videographers and photographers can
capture the event with tips provided by NASA imagery experts.
Following a successful 13-day mission to the International Space
Station, Discovery is scheduled to land at 4:46 a.m. EDT, Monday back
at its launch site, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
Discovery's track takes it across the southern Pacific Ocean, Central
America, Cuba and Florida's southwest coast en route to KSC.
As it begins interacting with the Earth's atmosphere, Discovery's
speed creates a plasma shield of super-heated air, which stretches
almost from horizon to horizon.
While NASA is not soliciting video from the public, the tips provide
guidance for amateur astronomers to track Discovery's return home. The
tips are available on the Web at:
http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight/crew/photo_tips.html
For the latest information about Discovery's mission on the Web,
visit: http://www.nasa.gov/returntoflight
(NASA via Duane Fischer, MI, swl at qth.net via DXLD) Delayed of
course a day, but much of this should still apply (gh, DXLD)
You have reached up as high as man can reach, perhaps touched the face
of God, Discovery, and now I pray He holds you in His hands and sets
you safe back on this Earth from whence you left, that soon to Moon
and Mars and one year Stars you will fly again (Duane Fischer, W8DBF,
Aug 7, swl at qth.net via DXLD)
** INTERNATIONAL VACUUM [and non]. LATIN AMERICA'S BALANCED/BIASED
VOICE --- DEPENDING ON WHOM YOU ASK, A NEW TV NEWS NETWORK WILL EITHER
BRIDGE A CULTURAL IMBALANCE, OR WORK AS AN ANTI-AMERICAN TOOL.
By DAVID ADAMS, Times Latin America Correspondent August 8, 2005
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/08/08/State/Latin_America_s_balan.shtml
MIAMI - A new international TV news network was born last month and
already is making headlines of its own.
Venezuelan-based Telesur (Telesouth) is the first home-grown network
in Latin America to broadcast to the region. Its supporters see it as
a long overdue effort to address the cultural imbalance in news
broadcasting in Latin America.
Critics, however, dismiss it as an anti-American propaganda tool of
Venezuela's leftist President Hugo Chávez. Either way, it's a sign of
the times. In an era of waning respect for U.S. foreign policy,
Telesur is further evidence of the United States' dwindling influence
in the region.
"Telesur is an initiative against cultural imperialism," declared the
station's president, Andrés Izarra, during its inauguration. "We
launch Telesur with a clear goal to break this communication regime."
To be sure, new voices in the marketplace are always welcome, analysts
say. They counterbalance content offered by other global networks,
principally CNN, the U.K.'s BBC World, and Spain's TVE (Televisión
Española), which broadcast with a North American and European world
view. Even Univisión, the Spanish-language media giant with a large
audience in Latin America, is based in the United States and offers
content directed at U.S. Hispanics.
When major world news happens such as the war in Iraq and the recent
London bombings, Latin American viewers have no choice but to watch
the big foreign networks. The same often applies to big events closer
to home in Latin America.
But, will Telesur contribute to the healthy exchange of ideas? Or will
it just be a propaganda tool? The signs are not good.
The station is government-owned, with participation from Venezuela (51
percent), Argentina (20 percent), Cuba (19 percent) and Uruguay (10
percent).
Telesur's director, Uruguayan journalist Aram Aharonian, denies that
the channel will simply be a mouthpiece for Chávez, who enjoys a 70
percent popularity rating in recent polls.
"We only accept one kind of censorship - that of the viewer,"
Aharonian declared. "If they are not satisfied, they will just click
the remote control."
* * *
Telesur makes no secret of its politics. Its advisory board is a who's
who of international left-wing intellectuals and celebrities.
Telesur's president, Izarra, is a professional journalist who
previously worked for CNN, as well as a private Venezuelan TV company.
More recently he worked as Venezuela's information minister - until
his resignation last month.
His decision to step down from his post is a sign that the Venezuelan
government is sensitive to criticism of the channel's lack of
political independence.
But the resignation is unlikely to silence critics. Izarra's father,
William Izarra, a former air force officer who is now deputy foreign
minister, is one of the country's top pro-Chávez ideologues.
He recently gave a speech in which he described Telesur as one of the
ways in which Venezuela is defending itself in the undeclared war he
said the United States is waging against it.
In this kind of war "the media are more important than (military)
divisions," said Izarra Sr., who knows the United States well and
studied at Harvard.
U.S. officials recognize that events in Latin America have not gone
the way they would like of late. Leftist governments have taken office
in Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. But they reject suggestions that the
rest of the region is cozying up to Chávez.
They note that Brazil declined to join the ownership of Telesur.
Unlike Venezuela, the United States enjoys cordial relations with
Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil.
Washington appears increasingly aware of the need to improve its image
overseas. Bush's trusted adviser, Karen Hughes, was last week
confirmed as Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy.
But Latin America isn't going to be her priority, and the right
political spin may not be enough.
"The problem goes beyond Telesur and Chávez. There's a credibility
gap," said Jorge Nef, director of the Center for Latin American and
Caribbean Studies at the University of South Florida.
Critics say U.S. policymakers pay little attention to Latin America.
When they do, it's with an overly narrow political focus.
Robert Pastor, a Latin America expert at American University, said:
"This administration is trapped in the Castro syndrome. They have
completely demonized Chávez, as they have Fidel, and built him up as a
David vs. Goliath. The rest of Latin America is just a little bit
tired by this style."
Republican U.S. Rep. Connie Mack of Fort Myers last month went as far
as proposing legislation for U.S. government broadcasts into
Venezuela, to counter Telesur with "accurate news."
Media experts question Mack's approach. "Putting the term "accurate
news' in the same sentence with government-sponsored broadcasts is not
only an oxymoron, it is disingenuous in the extreme," said John
Dinges, a former foreign correspondent in Latin America and professor
in radio journalism at Columbia University.
The launch of Telesur should come as no surprise, said Alberto
Barrera, co-author of the biography ``Chávez Sin Uniforme`` (Chavez
Out of Uniform ). "Chavez is hyperconscious about power and the
importance of the media."
To counter criticism in the United States, Chávez set up the
Washington-based Venezuela Information Office in 2003. It has since
run a campaign of slick ads and an English-language Web site
http://www.rethinkvenezuela.com
Barrera points out that during a failed coup attempt in 1992, Chávez
captivated TV audiences in a brief appearance. A fiery communicator
with Venezuela's poor, Chávez has been called the Ronald Reagan of the
left. He has his own weekly TV [sic] show, Hello President, every
Sunday.
"He's telegenic, he commands the stage with fabulous theatrics --- the
perfect media entertainer," Barrera said. And, he adds, like every
media star, Chávez need a bigger audience and higher ratings. Hence,
Telesur.
* * *
Telesur's professional standards are difficult to judge, as full
programming is not yet ready.
The content already is showing a marked ideological bias. An item on
Haïti blamed U.N. troops for violence against supporters of former
President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. The piece suggested this was part of
a plan to allow multinational corporations to continue to use Haitians
as slave labor. No alternative point of view was presented.
An item about the recent decision to award the 2012 Olympic Games to
London focused on claims by Cuban and Venezuelan sports ministers that
the city should have been ruled out because of Britain's involvement
in the war in Iraq.
Before the launch, director Aharonian asked critics to withhold
judgment until the channel was on the air. The full-scale launch of
Telesur is scheduled for September: perhaps by then the critics will
be confounded.
David Adams reported from Miami. Times correspondent Phil Gunson
contributed to this report from Caracas (via Terry L Krueger,
Clearwater, Florida, USA, DXLD) See also CUBA
** ISRAEL. Galei Zahal`s schedule on 6973 and 15785 is variable; e.g.
on 12 June they were on 6973 at 0450 UT, but on 3 July they were on
15785, both Sundays (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Aug BDXC-UK
Communication via DXLD)
** JAPAN [non]. Hiroshima commemorations
The BBCWS' Talking Point today -- still available on-demand -- had a
blend of global perspectives that seemed to be pretty well balanced.
Another on-demand recommendation: RNW's "Vox Humana", with an episode
entitled "A Hiroshima Story", available at
http://www2.rnw.nl/rnw/en/features/cultureandhistory/050729vox?view=Standard
(Richard Cuff / Allentown, PA, Aug 7, swprograms via DXLD)
On a related note for those who never heard it, you can download the
infamous aircheck of the late Bob Dayton on WABC for the 20th
anniversary of the Hiroshima bombing.
http://dkosmediaus.com/Dayton.mp3 It's about 120kb, VBR, 40kbs/22kHz
mono (Steve Coletti, ibid.)
** KOREA NORTH. Re 5-131: The Lone Star DX Association (LSDXA) is the
sponsoring DX organization for this operation. For information about
the LSDXA, visit the Web page at: http://www.dxer.org/lsdxa/index.html
ADDED NOTES: Bruce, KK5DO, reports (via his Web page) that Dave,
KA2HTV, will operate as P5/KA2HTV from North Korea on August 9-23rd.
Online logs will not be available during the operation, as Dave uses
paper logs and the data will have to be entered into a computer when
he gets back. QSL via KK5DO: Bruce Paige, P. O. Box 310, Alief, TX
77411-0310, USA. "Please limit your contacts to one", Bruce says.
"Many hams were not able to work Ed, P5/4L4FN. Please allow those that
did not get P5 before a chance to work P5 now. If you are in the
P5/4L4FN log, do not send for a QSL card from this operation". The
KK5DO Web page is: http://www.amsatnet.com/p5a.html
As this bulletin was being written/prepared, word was released on
Friday, August 5th, that Dave was now enroute to North Korea. Reports
from Dave's neighbor is that he left for China Friday morning at 5:00
AM where he will spend 5 days before taking the next leg to North
Korea. Once Dave enters North Korea, he will no longer have internet
or cellphone usage. He will be able to operate from 1 hour before
sunset until 1 hour after sunrise. Remember that the last 3 days of
the trip are extra days that Dave will use for as much operating as
possible (KB8NW/OPDX/BARF80 via Dave Raycroft, ODXA via DXLD)
** KURDISTAN. IRAQ. V. of Kurdistan heard on 6335 with strong signals
0240-0550 and 1250-1455. No sign of any signals on 4025 for the past
three months (Rumen Pankov, Sofia, Bulgaria, Aug BDXC-UK Communication
via DXLD) So he`s close enough for daytime on 6 MHz (gh, DXLD)
** LATVIA. RTI COMMEMORATES THE PASSING OF THE UK MARINE OFFENCES ACT
Ref. No: AugMoA001 Release: Immediate 08 August 2005
Poprad, Riga, London – 08 August 2005: RADIO TATRAS INTERNATIONAL,
RTI, is to commemorate the day in August 1967 when radio in the UK
became state controlled again! RTI is a unique pan-European/
international radio station in English and Slovak.
Listeners from around Europe, and the world via the internet, will be
able to hear this special tribute programme on Sunday 14 August
starting at 19.00 CE[S]T (6.00pm UK time). [and 1700 UT!!! Who cares?]
Eric Wiltsher, Director, RTI UK, commented: ``When I speak to people
around Europe there is the feeling that radio in western Europe,
specifically the UK, was always free. ``Furthermore, when I explained
the existence and banning of offshore station they are horrified –
most asking `what did you do about it`.
``On Sunday 14 August, starting at 19.00 CE[S]T, we`ll aim to explain
that story and the beginning of the fight for commercial radio in the
UK – not forgetting the music of the time, we`ll be very 1960`s just
for one night only``.
Recently, RTI launched a new promotion inviting it`s listeners to send
in their top three tracks of all time – in September one of RTI`s
lucky European listeners will win a trip to the unique AQUACITY resort
close to the RTI studios in Poprad, Slovakia
Full details of the promotion will be aired during August. The lucky
winners will be announced in September and the collated information
will be made available to bona-fide media outlets at the same time
(Eric Wiltsher, Aug 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST) See also SLOVAKIA
** LIBYA. 1251 kHz, Voz de Africa, 1956-2010, escuchada el 5 de agosto
en árabe con programa de música folklórica local, locutor con boletin
de noticias y locutora con invitados, señal muy fuerte que poco a poco
se debilita hasta desaparecer y surgiendo con fuerza, SINPO 45533
(José Miguel Romero, Sacañet (Castellón), España, SANGEAN ATS 909,
Antena hilo de siete metros, Noticias DX via DXLD)
** MADAGASCAR. THIRTY-FIVE PRIVATE RADIOS SAID OPERATING ILLEGALLY IN
MADAGASCAR | Excerpt from report by Malagasy newspaper Madagascar
Tribune website on 8 August
Out of the 244 private radios in Madagascar, 35 are illegal and 45 are
being regularised. The principal private secretary of the Ministry of
Telecommunications, Posts and Communication (MTPC), Rodolphe
Rakotoarisoa, informed us last week during the celebration of the
fifth anniversary of a private radio station in the capital. [Passage
omitted]
Despite their illegal status, the stations continue transmitting on
their frequencies. Faced with this situation, the ministry did not
react violently. No constricting measures are taken as of date. "The
ministry prefers to use dialogue. Since January this year, we have
dispatched our agents to the provinces to meet the people in charge of
the private radio stations, to convince them to regularise their
status", Minister of Telecommunications, Posts and Communication Bruno
Andriatavison explained. [Passage omitted] Source: Madagascar Tribune
website, Antananarivo, in French 8 Aug 05 (via BBCM via DXLD)
WTFK? Is it safe to assume they are all on FM? (gh, DXLD)
** MEXICO. Hola amigos, Este fin de semana tuve la oportunidad de ir a
Toluca, encontrando con sorpresa que ya hay una emisora en FM usando
el sistema RDS; ésta es: 101.3 XHZA Ultra 101.3 FM RDS [ULTRA FM]
Cada vez son más las emisoras usando esta tecnología. Saludos (Héctor
García Bojorge, DF, Aug 8, condiglist via DXLD)
** OKLAHOMA. Station News KCSC\KBCW Classical Radio
http://www.kcscfm.com/news/news_main.asp
From the General Manager August, 2005
Bradford Ferguson bferguson @ kcscfm.com
In this hot and quiet month of the year when there are no crowds of
students around and it`s business as usual here, we are taking the
opportunity to revise our website. We will be modernizing it and
making it more ``user friendly`` and responsive. The new site will be
hosted by UCO and we`ll let you know when it`s ready to launch.
Special thanks goes to Cori Rucker and the IT Department here at UCO.
In other news, after more than a decade, UCO football returns to the
air. The program is celebrating its centennial year in a newly
remodeled stadium. The season runs from August 25th to November 5th.
Sincerely, Brad Ferguson General Manager
Programming Notes August, 2005
Kent Anderson kanderson @ kcscfm.com
There are no program changes to note on KCSC/KBCW's schedule this
month, but I`d like to address a couple of other issues.
Many of you have noticed a number of problems relating to our
broadcast of syndicated programming in the last couple of months,
e.g. programs being repeated for several weeks in a row, or not
having the scheduled program at all. With technology continuing to
rapidly evolve, we have attempted to upgrade some of the systems we
use in recording programs from the public radio satellite system.
There have been many ``kinks`` in this process on our end, and I
regret the inconvenience to listeners. All I can ask is for you to
bear with us while we work to straighten out the technical issues
involved. I share your frustration with the process.
Also, I might reiterate KCSC`s long-standing programming philosophy
of presenting a variety of music during our locally-originated hours.
I strive to put together a playlist each today that includes both
familiar and obscure elements, from the great diversity of time
periods, composers, styles, and performers. I only bring this up due
to a couple of recent e-mails that arrived within a few days of each
other, one from a listener who questioned why we played ``nothing but
the same old familiar warhorses,`` the other from a listener who
questioned why we played only ``obscure and discordant`` music! I
responded to each in the same manner —-- we strive for a balanced
``mix`` of music. This has been the KCSC approach to music for many
years, and will be in days yet to come. Thank you for listening. Kent
Anderson Program Director (via John Norfolk, dxldyg via DXLD)
** PARAGUAY. A Rádio Nacional do Paraguai transmite alguns programas
da Rádio Taiwan Internacional, entre 1100 e 1200, em 9735 kHz,
conforme monitoria de Paulo Michelom, de Porto Alegre (RS). (Célio
Romais, Panorama, @tividade DX Aug 7 via DXLD)
** PERU. 6115, R. Unión, Lima, 0040 on Aug. 5. Peruvian sort of
cumbias, and canned IDs by man "...Union radio". Het, QRK 2/3 (Horacio
Nigro, Uruguay, Aug 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** RWANDA. PRIVATE RADIO TAKES BABY STEPS IN POST-GENOCIDE RWANDA
Private FM stations are beginning to find their feet in Rwanda, with
government having given the go-ahead only in 2004 after the horrifying
role played by private radio in promoting the genocide. Nasra
Bishumba, of The New Times, interviewed the director of one of the new
crop of stations. . . http://tinyurl.com/czreb
(journalism.co.za via Andy Sennitt, dxldyg via DXLD)
** SLOVAKIA [non]. I was a bit surprised to receive today a letter
from Radio Tatry in Poprad, Slovakia. A non-data standard Radio Tatras
International QSL-confirmation letter signed by Eric Wiltsher, large
RTI sticker and Tatras postcard. I guess Krebs TV in Latvia had
forwarded my 1350 report to them. The address in the envelope is:
Radio Tatry, PO Box 95, 05801 Poprad 1 (Jari Savolainen, Kuusankoski,
Finland, Aug 8, dxldyg via DX LISTENING DIGEST) see also LATVIA
** SRI LANKA [and non]. Tamil Community Radio in Australia and BBC
Tamil Service are used to drum up LTTE’s war efforts.
--- Our Sydney Correspondent --- Date : 2005-08-08
Sydney, 08 August, (Asiantribune.com): Australian Front organisations
of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have launched a
propaganda drive in order to mobilise the support of the Australian
Tamils for the LTTE in anticipation of an outbreak of war in Sri Lanka
between the rebels and the Sri Lankan security forces... [large snip]
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=15267
. . .Unfortunately this LTTE propaganda is being dutifully copied by
prestigious news media such as the Tamil Service of the BBC whose
Vavuniya correspondent Manickavasagam reported that SP Charles
Wijewardane was killed by a civilian mob.
BBC Tamil Service, which is highly rated by Tamil listeners the world
over, is losing its credibility because of the pro-LTTE bias of its
main Tamil correspondents in Vavuniya and Batticaloa.
A few weeks ago the very same BBC Tamil Service correspondent
Manickavasagam produced a feature highlighting the shortcomings at the
Kilinochi hospital which is in the administrative capital of the LTTE
and blaming the Sri Lankan Government for the shortcomings blissfully
forgetting the fact that LTTE has established a de facto state there
collecting its own taxes and running its own administration with
courts and a police force (Asian Tribune via Radiointel.com via DXLD)
** TRISTAN DA CUNHA. Postcode puts island on map --- The most remote
inhabited island on Earth, Tristan Da Cunha, an overseas territory of
the UK which takes six days to reach by boat from Cape Town, has been
assigned a postcode: TDCU 1ZZ. The island's 276 inhabitants asked the
Royal Mail to help after being unable to shop online without postcode.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1544500,00.html
(The Guardian (London, UK) 08 August 2005 Brief Items via Dan Say,
DXLD) Is that the only way to measure remoteness --- more so than e.g.
Pitcairn? (gh, DXLD)
** U K. No one mentioned it yet but I can't let this one pass by and
not say something. The Beeb interviewed the navigator of the Enola
Gay. I am guessing he is the only survivor at this point, no idea why
he was picked otherwise. The interview was rather interesting except
where the announcer from the Beeb was trying to get the navigator to
admit some sort of guilt or remorse for what was done. The navigator
never gave into this idea. I was happy to hear that. The announcer was
a bit upset he could not get what he wanted and kept at him, finally
giving up and ending the interview. As I recall, Japan attacked Pearl
Harbor and not the other way around.
I have heard this before on the Beeb and it`s getting a little old.
The most recent being the Iraq war when the BBC interviewer spoke with
an Iraqi mother of 3 children and the only complaint she seemed to
have is that it would be nice if the electricity would stay on all day
so her kids could play computer games. But the announcer kept at her
trying his best to get a negative comment out of her about the US and
she just would not budge. I have to wonder what the Beeb`s agenda
might be (Bob Montgomery, Levittown, PA USA, Aug 8, Swprograms mailing
list via DXLD)
** U K. Brain of Britain 2005 began Monday on Radio 4 at 1230 GMT.
(1330 British Summer Time), repeated at 2200 GMT Saturday. (2300 BST)
Listen again Real Audio link is:
rtsp://rmv8.bbc.net.uk/radio4/comedy/mon1330.ra
(Joel Rubin, NY, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD) 17 weeks? (gh)
** U K. BBC Radio 1 are producing a documentary called 'Radio Anyone'.
It is part of the BBC Voices project (looking at language, dialect and
accent in the UK today), Radio Anyone looks at the ways people exploit
technology to broadcast their voices to the world.
The BBC describe the programme as:
"From the illegal hijacking of the airwaves in a tower-block in East
London, to the latest in digital broadcasting - podcasting. The modern
equivalent of CB radio has random people all over the UK talking
about, well, random stuff, which you can get sent direct to your mp3
player to listen to at your leisure. An insight into the world of the
amateur radio, this programme reveals that most basic of instincts -
the need to communicate."
The BBC have said the programme should feature short clips of Amateur
Radio School Contacts with the International Space Station to
illustrate the communication between school children and astronauts.
The RSGB GB4FUN Manager Carlos Eavis G0AKI went to Great Portland
Street with the GB4FUN van last Thursday to participate in the
documentary, and had the interviewer come down for a look for 45
minutes. Despite being in a built-up area, as luck would have it there
was an 83 degree North/South pass of the AO-51 satellite.
Carlos handed the interviewer the mic, and she had a seven minute QSO
with Ib OZ1MY on AO-51 where she quizzed Ib on how he got started in
amateur radio. This satellite contact was the only QSO she made.
The BBC say the programme is due for transmission on BBC Radio 1 on
Monday 22nd Aug sometime between 13:00 and 16:00 BST. [1200-1500 UT]
After it's been broadcast it should also be available on the web. Try
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/ "Listen Again to Radio 1" (Ken Ward,
SWM_readers yg via Mike Terry, dxldyg via DXLD)
** U K [non]. Two new DRM tests from Austria: see DIGITAL BROADCASTING
** U S A. Hola compañeros, Si les llegue este mensaje a tiempo, por
favor chequear los 9955 de WRMI a ver si se puede escuchar a Mundo
Radial, en su nueva emisora y hora, 2345 TU de los domingos. Solo hay
jamming dentrocubano en mi receptor. 73, (Glenn Hauser, 2349 UT Aug 7,
condiglist via DXLD)
Saludos querido amigo Glenn. Espero te encuentres muy bien. De mi
parte recibe felicitaciones por esta nueva emisora donde va a salir
Mundo Radial, para el próximo domingo estaremos atentos para avisarte.
Veremos si podemos escuchar a WRMI que por Venezuela ahora casi no se
oye por esa frecuencia motivado al fuerte jamming desde Cuba.
Recibe un fuerte abrazo (José Elías, Venezuela, ibid.)
** U S A [non]. CZECH REP.(non): Updated summer schedule of Radio Free
Europe/Radio Liberty
ARABIC# 0100-0600 1593
1400-1600 1593
2000-2200 1593
ARMENIAN 1400-1500 9790
AVARI 0400-0420 9855 11780 15460
1700-1720 11705 12045 15255
AZERI 0300-0400 9855
1500-1600 15160
1800-1900 11865
BELORUSSIAN 0300-0500 612 6170 9635
1500-1700 612 9725 15215
1700-1900 612 7195 15480
1900-2100 612 7115 9750
CHECHEN 0420-0440 9855 11780 15460
1720-1740 11705 12045 15255
CHERKASSI 0440-0500 9855 11780 15460
1740-1800 11705 12045 15255
DARI& 0330-0430 1296 15615 17670 19010
0530-0630 1296 15615 17670 19010
0730-0830 1296 15615 17685 19010
0930-1030 1296 15090 17685 19010
1130-1230 1296 15090 17685 19010
1330-1430 1296 15090 17600
GEORGIAN 0500-0600 9855
1400-1500 15255
FARSI* 0030-0200 1170 1575 9615 9805 9865
0200-0400 1170 1575 9775 9805 9865
0400-0600 1170 1575 9510 9865 15185 15290
0600-0830 1170 1575 9510 15290 17845
0830-1030 1170 1575 15290 15690 17755
1030-1400 1170 1575 15375 15690 17755
1400-1500 1170 1575 9435 13870 17750
1500-1600 1170 1575 13870 15170 17750
1600-1700 1170 1575 13870 15170 17670
1700-1900 1170 1575 7105 7580 9760
1900-2000 1170 1575 5860 7365 9505 9540
2000-2100 1170 1575 5860 7190 9505 9960
2100-2130 1170 1575 7190 9505 9960
2130-0030 1170 1575
KAZAKH 0000-0100 5945 7295 9815
0200-0300 7260 9680 15205
0300-0400 9615 11990 15215
1200-1300 11515 15215 17890
1400-1500 4995 15355 15455
1500-1600 7170 9815 15255
KYRGHYZ 0000-0200 5995 9670 12005
1200-1230 11930 15120 17615
1300-1330 11930 15120 17615
1400-1600 5860 12115 15530
PASHTO& 0230-0330 1296 12140 15615 19010
0430-0530 1296 15615 17670 19010
0630-0730 1296 15615 17685 19010
0830-0930 1296 15615 17685 19010
1030-1130 1296 15090 17685 19010
1230-1330 1296 15090 17600 19010
ROMANIAN 1500-1530 11905 15380
1800-1900 9585 11815 Mon-Fri
RUSSIAN 0000-0100 7120 7175 7220 9520
0200-0300 7155 7175 7220 9520
0300-0400 6105 7155 7175 7220
0400-0500 6105 7175 7220 9520 9760
0500-0600 9520 9635 9760 11815 17730
0600-0700 9520 9635 11815 15130 17730
0700-0800 9635 11815 11855 15130 17730
0800-0900 11855 15280 17730 17810
0900-1000 11860 15280 17730 17810
1000-1100 15130 17730 17810 21530
1100-1200 11705 13745 15130 17730 21530
1200-1300 11705 13745 15130 15205 17730
1400-1500 11725 11895 13755 15130 15195
1500-1600 9520 11725 11895 13755 15130
1600-1700 7220 9520 9565 11725 15130
1900-2000 6105 7220 9520 9690
2000-2200 5955 7220 9520
2200-2300 5985 7220 9520 9590
2300-2400 5985 7120 7220 9520
TAJIK 0100-0200 4760 9695 9760
0200-0300 9695 9760 15525
0300-0400 9760 11655 15525
1400-1500 15370 15725 17670
1500-1600 9790 11975 15370
1600-1700 7190 9790 15370
TATAR-BASHKIR 0300-0400 9815 11820
0500-0600 11990 12015
1500-1600 11990 15415
1900-2000 9650 11925
TURKMEN 0200-0300 864 7295 9555 15290
0300-0400 7295 9555 15290
1400-1530 13815 15120 15145
1530-1600 864 13815 15120 15145
1600-1700 11895 13815 15120
1700-1800 9595 11895 15120
UKRAINIAN 0300-0400 6065 7265 9710 Mon-Sat
0500-0600 7220 7265 11780 Mon-Fri
1600-1700 6185 11805 17815 Mon-Fri
1700-1800 11805 12035 15135
1800-1900 7125 11805 11875
UZBEK 0100-0200 864
0200-0400 12015 12110 15145
1300-1400 1143
1600-1700 9595 11885 11980
1700-1800 9390 9805 11980
# Radio Free Iraq & Radio Free Afghanistan * Radio Farda
Cancelled transmissions from July 1:
ALBANIAN 1900-1930 9705 9840 15140
SERBOCROATIAN 0730-0800 9555 11795 15260
1300-1330 9555 11795 15255
1600-1700 6055 9840 11925
1730-1800 6130 9895 15325
1800-1900 9505 11715 15320
2000-2100 5970 7165 11935
2200-2400 6130 9635 11730
(Observer, Bulgaria, Aug 8, via DXLD)
** U S A. Infinity's WYUU "Outlaw" (Country) 92.5, Tampa (Safety
Harbor-licensed) is now "la Nueva F-M 92 Punto 5, el Sonido Latino de
Tampa Bay" and appears to be jockless for the moment but with lots of
imaging, at least during my listens. Surprisingly, the format is
Tropical/Salsa and not Reggaetón, unless they seriously tweak it down
the road. Format makes sense though, as they could cause some serious
damage to 680, 760, 820, 1300 and 1550. This is Tampa Bay's first
Hispanic FM (the lightbulb 96.1 La Mega brief experiment
notwithstanding). This also should guarantee that Clear Channel won't
flip any of their FMers to Spanish, as I can't imagine this market
supporting any more than one Hispanic FM. The old URL has a placement
page right now: http://www.outlaw925country.com/
(Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida USA, Aug 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. NE TN radio news --- Glenn, Have noted WFHG 980 Bristol, off
the air since Sat. August 6, due to lightning strike at the
transmitter site. Also noted WHGG 1090 Kingsport now on with oldies,
"the mighty 1090" is the phrase, they seem to run well past sundown,
actually after 10 PM [EDT = 0200 UT]. Thank you for all the updates
(EM, Aug 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** U S A. RADIO CHANGE COMING TO BOSTON
Change is in the airwaves --- Small stations shift to survive in tight
market --- By Alexander Reid, Globe Staff | August 7, 2005
Radio station WLLH of Lawrence and Lowell flipped from Latin and
tropical music to ESPN sports two weeks ago. WSMN of Nashua is about
to return to the airwaves after its former owners pulled the plug in
January.
Hispanic radio entrepreneur Patrick Costa, principal owner of three
Methuen stations, wants the signal strength of his flagship, WNNW, to
reach listeners as far away as Plymouth and maybe Cape Cod.
The past weeks have seen several shifts in the Merrimack Valley radio
landscape, with stations laboring to preserve loyal audiences or build
new ones in a region eclipsed by the larger, more powerful stations
broadcasting from Boston. . . [MORE, Scott Fybush quoted]
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/08/07/change_is_in_the_airwaves/
(via Kevin Redding, ABDX via DXLD)
** U S A. DAVE ZWEIFEL: ANOTHER RADIO STATION FALLS TO FOX NEWS
By Dave Zweifel, August 4, 2005, Capital Times
http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/index.php?ntid=49438&ntpid=10
Earlier this year public radio's Garrison Keillor wrote a great piece
for the Nation in which he lamented the passing of radio programming
as we once knew it. He talked about the heyday of great stations like
WCCO in Minneapolis, WOR in New York, KMOX in St. Louis and WGN in
Chicago and how they were filled with down-home programming on
everything from fishing and home repair to baseball games and live
coverage of the local news.
But, more importantly, the stations were about their hometowns. In
smaller communities, Keillor recalled, you would hear the local
livestock reports, the announcements of service club meetings and a
listener calling to thank everybody for helping her find her lost dog
Pookie. Every station had its own personality or two who could speak
to the listeners like they were longtime close friends.
Thus it was right here in Madison not all that long ago. There were
strong local personalities on the air throughout the day and into
the night, not just during the morning drive time, and they were not
foaming at the mouth with hate-filled political diatribe. Jim Mader,
Clark Kellogg, George "Papa Hambone" Vukelich, "P.K." Powers and
dozens of others were such familiar voices, with whom listeners
identified and actually considered friends.
But, as Keillor pointed out, the deregulation of radio was terribly
tough on what he called "good neighbor" radio. Texas-based Clear
Channel and others began gobbling up all those little money-making
stations and homogenized their contents to make even more money. So
Rush is on everywhere. On many of the FM stations, the same music
fills the air. An iconoclast like Hambone no longer exists.This all
came to mind earlier this week when WIBA/AM, one of those Clear
Channel properties, announced it was switching its longtime
affiliation with CBS radio news to Fox News. The station manager, Jeff
Tyler, chalked it all up to "some issues with CBS' credibility," as if
Dan Rather had something to do with CBS radio. The real reason, of
course, is that Fox News --- Tyler should check its credibility --- is
cheaper. And that's all that matters.
So now all Clear Cannel's stations in Madison, except WXXM, which will
continue with CNN News, will be broadcasting Fox News. Keillor,
incidentally, had an answer in that Nation article for why huge
numbers of right-wingers appear on those chain-owned radio stations
while liberals are hard to find.
"It's simple," he said. "Republicans are in need of affirmation, they
don't feel comfortable in America and they crave listening to people
who think like them. Liberals actually enjoy living in a free society;
tuning in to hear an echo is not our idea of a good time." (via Art
Blair, Folsom, CA, IRCA via DXLD)
** U S A. Re 5-132, translator rules: two loopholes such as I
mentioned - fill-in service is anything non-local for these distant-
origination translators; and of course so is the similar exception for
the non-comm portion of the band.
The result being every market now can have 5 or 6 different competing
religious translators, no matter how small the market (Russ Edmunds,
Blue Bell, PA, [15 mi NNW of Philadelphia], WTFDA via DXLD)
FWIW, "fill-in service" means the service area of the translator is
fully contained within the predicted service area of the primary
station. Not that that invalidates your point (Doug Smith W9WI,
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66, http://www.w9wi.com ibid.)
But obviously I interpreted exactly the wrong meaning from the rule.
Even here in the crowded-band East, I have "Word FM" on 4 channels and
"Reach FM" on 3. I can't always hear all of each every day, but
usually all but one. It almost makes remote programming and voice
tracking on the commercial channels look better (Russ Edmunds, ibid.)
There's another way around it that I should have mentioned:
Build a translator inside the Reserved band such that it qualifies for
satellite delivery. Then, hang non-reserved band translators off it.
Case in point -- again, locally: Community Broadcasters has a smallish
translator in West Memphis, AR. K213CN is 80 watts, 14m above ground.
The same group has an application for 105.1 in swanky Germantown, TN.
This translator would run off K213CN, but would be 250 watts at 87m
above ground (and higher AAT, I just don't have the numbers). That
would be a whopper, and would place a nice signal over much of the
white Republican suburbs these people are targetting (not that there
is ANYTHING wrong with white Republicans...).
And, that's not all. Community Broadcasters shares the same address in
Overland Park, KS with the owners on WCRV, Collierville, TN. This
whopping 50 kW station on 640 is a commercial enterprise. One can
often hear WCRV and K213CN running //. So, this one bothers me just a
bit (Peter Baskind, J.D., LL.M., N4LI, Germantown, TN, ibid.)
That explains all the AFR and K-Love "translators". Actually, locally
AFR stations are both full power (Sheridan and DesArc -- both with
"Arkansas AFR"; and an independent in Hampton, AR). Pine Bluff has a
K-Love translator on 93.1 that is // with KALR 91.5 (Hot Springs, AR
K-Love affil), and K204D0 (trans of Calvary Chapel of Twin Falls
Idaho). Btw, there is one non-religious translator nearby: 94.5
Monticello, AR (K233AD) which is // with KUAR 89.1 (NPR) Little Rock.
(sometimes K233AD can be heard here in Star City, due to its
directional antenna pattern -- yagi mounted on water tower at
Arkansas-Monticello campus). (Fritze, KC5KBV Star City, AR EM43 Little
Rock DMA #57, ibid.)
** U S A. WILL BILL DARKEN WEATHER SITES? --- CRITICS SAY THE BILL
WOULD FORCE A GOVERNMENT AGENCY TO DISSEMINATE MUCH OF ITS DATA ONLY
TO PRIVATE COMPANIES. By TOM ZUCCO, Times Staff Writer August 8, 2005
http://www.sptimes.com/2005/08/08/State/Will_bill_darken_weat.shtml
Chuck Husick talks about NOAA as if it's a person, someone sitting out
in cyberspace, always ready to help, no questions asked.
Several times a day, and sometimes more, Husick, who flies airplanes,
owns a sailboat, and lives near the water at Tierra Verde, visits the
federal agency's Web site to get everything from weather reports to
tide charts.
Like tens of thousands of other Floridians who rode out four
hurricanes last year, and who are bracing themselves for an even more
active season this year, Husick, 72, relies almost entirely on Web
sites run by the National Hurricane Center, the National Weather
Service, and their parent agency, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration - NOAA.
But Husick and many others worry all that could change, thanks to
someone who lives in a state hurricanes rarely reach.
Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., the Senate's third-ranking Republican,
introduced a bill in April titled the National Weather Services Duties
Act of 2005. According to the bill's wording, it would "clarify the
duties and responsibilities" of NOAA and the NWS, and "protect life
and property."
Santorum has said the bill's intention is to keep NOAA from competing
with private companies. The main task of the weather service, he said,
is to provide public alerts for emergency conditions such as tornadoes
and severe weather, which the bill would require the agency to
continue.
But critics say the bill would force NOAA to disseminate much of its
data, which is collected at taxpayer expense, only to private
companies. The result, they say, would be that the government's ad-
free Web sites would go dark.
As proof, they point to a key sentence in the bill involving the
cabinet post that oversees NOAA:
"The Secretary of Commerce shall not provide, or assist other entities
in providing, a product or service that is or could be provided by the
private sector."
That, say opponents of the bill, is akin to telling the U.S. Postal
Service that Federal Express and UPS would have exclusive use of all
the government's package delivery equipment, and that the post office
could only deliver packages if it didn't interfere with the private
companies.
Opponents of the bill are also quick to point out that 14 private
weather forecasting companies, including AccuWeather, one of the
biggest players in the field, have their headquarters in Santorum's
home state.
The bill did not get a hearing before the summer recess, but it is
still pending before the Senate Commerce Committee and may find its
way to the floor of the Senate after Congress reconvenes Sept. 6.
In the meantime, the battle lines have not been drawn. They've been
dredged.
"There's been a general attack on the bill to make it look like
something it isn't," said Barry Myers, AccuWeather's executive vice
president. "This would do more for the state of Florida than what's
ever been done by NOAA or the NWS."
Santorum's office did not respond to interview requests, but Myers
argued that the bill would not only put weather information in the
public's hands more quickly than it does now, it would put more
information on the government Web sites.
"It's totally false," Myers added, "that we want these sites to go
away."
But a growing number of people outside the weather business, including
Florida Sen. Bill Nelson, don't buy that. Nelson wrote a letter urging
President Bush to oppose the legislation.
"Senator Nelson can understand the balance there has to be between not
allowing government services to undermine private industry," said
Nelson spokesman Dan McLaughlin. "But in this case, Santorum wants to
shut down the Web sites and keep all the information NOAA collects
private and available only to those few companies.
"The bottom line question is whether this is in the public interest.
It's one thing to be supportive of the employers in your state.
"It's another to carry their water."
* * *
One thing neither side is debating is NOAA's relevance. During the
peak of the 2004 hurricane season, from Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, NOAA had 9-
billion hits on its Web sites.
A NOAA spokeswoman didn't know how many of those hits came from
Florida. But she did say people living in areas affected by severe
weather usually account for most of the Internet traffic.
For years, the government weather service has coexisted with the
weather-packaging companies. But NOAA, with its arsenal of satellites,
aircraft, weather balloons, weather buoys and ground sites, has always
had a huge advantage.
The private forecasting companies take the raw data from the
government agencies and, among other services, turn it into the maps
and graphs they sell to newspapers and TV stations. The St. Petersburg
Times gets its daily weather maps from one such company, Weather
Central Inc., based in Madison, Wis.
That relationship changed last December when, acting on the
recommendation of the National Research Council, NOAA rewrote its
regulations.
In place since 1991, the old policy banned NOAA from offering any
services already being provided by private businesses or which they
might someday decide to offer.
Citing advancements in computer graphics and software that have
allowed NOAA to do its job better, the new policy rejects the outright
ban as too rigid. Instead it requires NOAA give "due consideration" to
what private companies are doing before the weather service modifies
its own distribution of material.
That sparked immediate protests from officials at the private
companies, who think they now face unfair competition from the weather
service.
And three months later, it brought Santorum into the fray.
Santorum is no stranger to Florida. On March 29, while on a
fundraising swing through the state, he stopped at Terri Schiavo's
Pinellas Park hospice to pray with her parents and appear on national
TV.
He faces a tough re-election fight next year, and his office
acknowledges the bill is in part an attempt to protect the weather
companies based in his home state.
"This is about job retention in Pennsylvania," Santorum spokeswoman
Chrissy Shott told the Associated Press shortly after the bill was
introduced.
But Myers, AccuWeather's vice president, said the bill has become
overly politicized, and that much of the negative sentiment is based
on misinformation originated from the NWS union.
"We know the weather service and their union has taken the stand to do
whatever they can to get as much public recognition to support their
own budget," Myers said. "They want to increase the number of jobs at
the weather service and get in front of as many people as possible.
"Our industry can't exist without that data being made available. All
we're asking for is the same right the public has."
But the issue, Myers said, goes beyond politics. He also criticized
the way NOAA and its agencies do their job.
"During Charley, (National Hurricane Center director) Max Mayfield
came on the air on local TV and said the storm had intensified from a
Category 2 to a 4," Myers said.
"We started to wonder how is it that the head of hurricane center went
on TV to make an announcement of intensification, which was
information that no one else had and didn't show up on their Web site
until 15 or 20 minutes after he was on TV.
"So adding preparation time, that's about 45 minutes of critical time
that was lost so that the National Hurricane Center could break the
story. That is playing with people's lives. The Santorum bill would
never again allow that to happen."
What the private companies are asking for, Myers said, is nothing
special.
"We can make money and have a business based upon doing a better job
than the government or anyone else," he said. "We don't need special
favors and ask for none."
* * *
Larry Gispert has been directing Hillsborough County's Office of
Emergency Management for the past 12 years. He said he has nothing
against private weather companies and the job they do.
"But I'm against this," he said last week. "He (Santorum) wants to
privatize weather, and I need my weather unfiltered regardless of
profit. It's painfully obvious this comes from a state that will
benefit greatly if this bill is passed."
But of far greater importance to Gispert is the public safety of the
1.1-million residents of his county.
"If part of getting you to evacuate is to have you feel comfortable
going to a Web site to verify what I'm saying on TV or the radio, I'm
all for it," he said. "Many adults don't normally believe a single
source, and one of the things they do is surf the Net.
"And everybody who has a computer has NOAA or the NWS bookmarked."
Gispert is also concerned that private companies don't have the
billion-dollar infrastructure NOAA has. And he worries the subtle but
strong sense of obligation government forecasters have might be
compromised.
"When I call the National Weather Service in Ruskin and they tell me
what's going on," Gispert said, "it's not because they're making a
profit. It's because they're a government servant just like I am. It's
unfiltered.
"Is AccuWeather going to help me? I don't think so."
Another question has to do with the free flow of information, and
whether the bill would help people who just want their weather, no
strings attached.
"We've never had weather information of the variety and quality we
have now from the government weather service," Husick of Tierra Verde
said. "I looked at the commercial servers. They generally do a good
job. But it's largely theatrics and endless commercials, because
they're trying to attract the viewing public.
"But would you be able to rely on their information?
"And do you want to put up with pop-up ads?"
(via Terry L Krueger, Clearwater, Florida, DXLD)
** U S A. NIELSEN, LONG A GAUGE OF POPULARITY, FIGHTS TO PRESERVE ITS
OWN --- By LORNE MANLY and RAYMOND HERNANDEZ, BUSINESS / MEDIA &
ADVERTISING | August 8, 2005
Nielsen Media Research, the television ratings arbiter, is trying to
remake its image after an industry dispute turned into a public
contretemps with racial overtones. . .
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/08/business/media/08nielsen.html?ex=1124164800&en=b24c96cc8669670f&ei=5070&emc=eta1
(via Jim Renfrew, NY, DXLD)
** URUGUAY. Currently inactive stations are those of R. Montecarlo on
6140 (sked 1000-1630) and 9595, due to faulty transmitter. Technician
at the station, Mr. Néstor Larrosa, confirms the latter frequency has
not been on the air for months since they recognized suffering QRM
from a Brazilian station on that frequency. Also 11735 belongs to the
same transmitter unit like the other two, but said 11735 (R. Oriental)
used to be active in local afternoons. 1 kW power.
CXA61, Radio Sarandí Sport, or R. Sport, is also inactive [6045 ---
and I see that WRTH agrees with me that URUGUAY follows USA ---gh],
because of defective transmitter. Power is 100 W on an inverted V
dipole and nominal sked 1100-2100. Technical service for this and
other transmitters at the station (MW, FM for CX8 Sarandí and CX18 R
Sport) is provided by CUE Comunicaciones Ltda., a company in
Montevideo owned by Ing. Juan Martony, --- see
http://www.cue.com.uy/es/acercaCUE.php but in Spanish. E-mail: cue @
adinet.com.uy or info @ cue.com.uy
Phoned Ms. Norita Porro who works at ANDEBU (Private Stations
Association) in Montevideo about their family's 6155 "Banda Oriental".
I mentioned to her that I had not being able to pick the station for
months, but she didn't confirm they are off the air, only that the
electrical consumption was notorious when the transmitter was on. So,
I suspect that transmission days have at least diminished. She said
she was going to call Sarandí del Yí to get the latest details, but I
am still awaiting her call back. She was very kind to invite me to
drink a cup of cofee at ANDEBU's HQ which is near my work place, one
of these days.
Overall, the great economic crisis suffered by Uruguay specially since
2000 and which appears to be ending, at least considering the
macroeconomic figures, has impacted more negatively on a non
profitable venture as is SW broadcasting in Uruguay. 73 (Horacio
Nigro, Uruguay, Aug 8, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
** VATICAN [non]. AINDA GOOGLE EARTH: PARQUE TRANSMISSOR DA RÁDIO
VATICANO
Boa noite pessoal, a listagem EiBI possui as coordenadas geográficas
dos diversos parques transmissores de ondas curtas no mundo. Usando
esta informação localizei no GoogleEarth com ótima resolução o parque
transmissor da Rádio Vaticano em Santa Maria di Galeria:
Antena "Giratória": 42 03 08.33N, 12 19 52.09E
"Array/conjunto" de antenas: 42 02 48.72N, 12 20 32.00W
Tentei procurar algumas outras antenas (Bonaire, Juelich, Sines), mas
as não achei (Sines possui fotos de alta resolução, mas não achei as
torres) (Huelbe Garcia, Aug 7, radioescutas yg via DXLD) URLs?
** WESTERN SAHARA [non]: RN de la República Árabe Saharaui Democrática
again on 7460 (ex 7466)
0600-0800 in Arabic
1700-2300 in Arabic, co-channel RFA in Korean 2100-2300
2300-2400 in Spanish (Observer, Bulgaria, Aug 8, via DXLD)
** WINDWARD ISLANDS. WIBS, WINDWARD ISLANDS BROADCASTING SERVICE 1955
TO 1971 http://www.news-dominica.com/heritage/heritage.cfm?Id=314
An interesting piece from Dominica about a very good shortwave station
that I used to really enjoy listening to many years ago, and I have a
treasured QSL (Mike Terry, UK, dxldyg via DXLD)
Tnx Mike; BTW this was in DXLD 5-086 a few months ago. 73, (Glenn)
It's actually extracted from a book that's being written about the
history of Dominica. It might be a nice idea if people who remember
WIBS write to the author, who may decide to incorporate some of the
comments in the book. You can contact the author via his website at
http://www.lennoxhonychurch.com/home.cfm
There's a form on website to send your messages (Andy Sennitt, ibid.)
** ZAMBIA. Referring to DXLD 5-122: If you cannot pick up the Zambia
National Broadcasting Corporation's fantastic Fish Eagle interval
signal on SW at their sign on, you can get it via the Internet. I
couldn't find any live streams on the ZNBC's web site, but you have a
choice of 6 Zambian stations on http://www.coppernet.zm/home.html - I
couldn't get audio from ZNBC Radio 1, but R. 4 works fine. Listen
before they open at 0240 UT. A beautiful photo of the Fish Eagle is
found at:
http://www.arkive.org/species/GES/birds/Haliaeetus_vociferoides/GES002846.html?size=large
Attached, please find the ZNBC opening this Monday morning 8-8-05. 73,
(Erik Køie, Copenhagen, Denmark, DX LISTENING DIGEST) In the DXLD yg
files, followed by God Bless Africa and sign-on announcement (gh)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RADIO EQUIPMENT FORUM
+++++++++++++++++++++
WILL NEW DST BILL RESULT IN ANOTHER Y2K?
With the US energy bill likely to be signed today, DST ("summer time")
beginning and ending dates will change. With many technology gizmos
(PCs, VCRs, etc) having built-in calendars having start and stop
dates, these gizmos -- if not updated -- will no longer automatically
shift the times. KYW in PA has a story on this.
http://www.kyw1060.com/news_story_detail.cfm?newsitemid=48409
(Richard Cuff, PA, Aug 8, Swprograms mailing list via DXLD)
INCIDENT AT C. CRANE: WAS IT INDUSTRIAL ESPIONAGE, OR JUST A BIG
MISUNDERSTANDING?
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/080405/cover0804.html
(the North Coast Journal article Aug 6 via radiointel.com via DXLD)
Quite an intriguing story; I had no idea this was going on (gh, DXLD)
ICOM R-75
Good News From Monitoring Times: ICOM Is Re-Releasing The ICOM R-75
Now With The DSP Unit Installed. Due out late August/early September
http://www.grove-ent.com/radiorumors.html
(Radiointel.com via DXLD)
DIGITAL BROADCASTING
++++++++++++++++++++
MESSER LEAVES IBB FOR DRM --- by Leslie Stimson
http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/03_rw_messer_2.shtml
WASHINGTON --- Dr. Donald Messer has retired from the International
Broadcasting Bureau to work full-time with the Digital Radio Mondiale
Consortium, an organization of broadcasters and manufacturers in
several countries that promotes a technology to migrate shortwave,
medium-wave/AM and now FM to digital.
The IBB intends to fill Messer's position and continue to participate
in the DRM Consortium and the ITU.
The bureau provides engineering and administrative support for U.S.
government-funded, non-military international broadcast services such
as Voice of America and Radio Martí. Formed in 1994, it formerly was
part of the U.S. Information Agency. IBB and its governing body, the
Broadcasting Board of Governors, were established as independent
federal government entities when USIA was disbanded in 1999.
Full-time digital
Messer's move expands what has been a part-time endeavor among his IBB
duties to a full-time role with compensation. He remains chairman of
the consortium's Technical Committee and a member of the steering
board and strategic planning group. Messer has also been the test
coordinator for any country wants to evaluate DRM.
DRM has test agreements with Mexico and Brazil. Tests in Mexico were
to be completed in July, he said, with the 26 MHz results to be
submitted to the consortium by September, to be followed later in the
year for the medium-wave/AM results.
"The Brazil work should start this fall, but the test plan schedule is
not yet fixed," said Messer. "We have also received inquiries about
testing of this sort from other countries. Along these lines, tests
continue in Russia and China, as well as in many countries in Europe
and in Kuwait." Additional countries represented by DRM members
include Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Spain, Japan, Canada and the
United Kingdom.
On this continent, Messer has scaled back his role with the National
Radio Systems Committee. He has resigned as co-chairman of the DAB
Subcommittee's standardization working group, to avoid the appearance
of a conflict of interest in his DRM role.
Sony's Paul Feinberg remains co-chairman of this group; Dom Bordonaro,
chief engineer for Cox Radio in Connecticut, is the new co-chair.
"This group still has a lot of work to do, Advanced Data Applications
being the most important one," said Messer, who added he will continue
to attend meetings as an observer.
Aerospace and government
Messer had been with IBB for 20 years. He left IBB in May as director
of the Spectrum Management Division. He held a variety of engineering
positions earlier in his career. After graduating from New York
University with a Bachelor of Science in engineering physics in 1952,
Messer went on to get his Master of Science from Cornell in
theoretical solid-state physics and a doctorate from Johns Hopkins in
operations research. He spent several years in the aerospace industry
in advanced development and applied research. In 1971-81 he was
president of Messer Associates, a technical and management consulting
firm later acquired by Dynamac.
In his IBB role, he was the Broadcast Satellite Program manager at the
USIA's Voice of America. There, he helped lead to fruition what is now
called satellite digital radio, according to a 1996 FCC filing by
Messer and others evaluating pioneer preferences.
In the late 1960s, some U.S. and European broadcast groups began
analytic work for would become communications satellites capable of
transmitting audio programs to fixed, portable and mobile receivers.
The European Broadcast Union, Voice of America and NASA conducted this
early work, which increased in the 1970s and '80s with the development
of more powerful satellite transponders.
In 1988, the U.S. government became interested in satellite radio for
diplomacy purposes and directed the National Security Council to look
into it. It did so, and the government directed delegates to the World
Administrative Radio Conference to begin working towards frequency
allocation for satellite digital radio.
In 1990-91, VOA, under Messer's guidance, and NASA funded and directed
the Jet Propulsion Lab on a series of tests, including a demonstration
in Washington with what was the forerunner of a transmit/receive
system for use with either L-band or S-band spectrum.
Messer was a key U.S. delegate at the 1992 WARC that led to the S-band
allocation for satellite digital radio in this country and L-band
overseas for testing a satellite component with the Eureka-147 DAB
system. In 1990, the FCC received its first application for satellite
digital radio from Satellite CD Radio.
In 1996, he was one of the experts the FCC called to review spectrum
applications for the original satellite applicants, to determine
whether they qualified for a "pioneer's preference" for spectrum. The
experts said no.
The applicants for the spectrum were Primosphere; DSBC; Satellite CD
Radio, which became Sirius Satellite Radio; and American Mobile Radio
Corp., which became XM Satellite Radio. Eventually two licenses went
to the highest bidders at auction.
Around 1996, Messer recalled, the NRSC tested the VOA/JPL experimental
satellite system, and he had the idea to apply the techniques to
shortwave broadcasting. "We did some work on this, and during that
time I got involved with what has evolved into DRM." He became the
chairman of the DRM Technical Committee in 2000 (Radio World via
Radiointel.com via DXLD) I expect he got frustrated with IBB`s lack of
interest in pushing forward with DRM (gh, DXLD)
Digital radio and TV in Australia : see AUSTRALIA above
TALKSPORT TESTING IN DRM TO THE UK UNTIL MID SEPTEMBER
Talksport, a national UK commercial mediumwave station, is testing DRM
from Moosbrunn, Austria, on 9720 kHz at 0800-0900 UTC. The antenna at
Moosbrunn is a HR4/3/0.6 on 295 degrees. The sender power is 50 kW.
These are daily transmissions until mid September.
Reception results (Source: DRM Software Radio Forum)
# posted by Andy @ 12:15 UT August 8 (Media Network blog via DXLD)
CHRISTIAN VISION BROADCASTING IN DRM DAILY TO UK
Christian Vision is currently broadcasting a daily programme in DRM
mode to the UK at 1000-1100 UTC via Moosbrunn, Austria on 11815 kHz.
This is a LIVE broadcast, and real-time interactivity with the studio
presenters will be possible in some of the shows. The service will run
throughout August during which time Christian Vision will review a
possible extension. Reception results (Source: DRM Software Radio
Forum) posted by Andy @ 12:10 UT Aug 8 (Media Network blog via DXLD)
Re WTOP IBOC complaint, 5-132:
Bill, Is this your registered complaint OR are you just telling us
about going to tell WTOP about what you think of IBOC? I also like
WTOP radio, and I also have QRM problems, BUT not from IBOC. There is
a Spanish station in Alabama that is cheating all night long and
really giving WTOP fits. I am tired of cheaters (Willis Monk, Old
Fort, TN, NRC-AM via DXLD)
As you can see from my tome, I am not a proponent of IBOC. I will be
filing this complaint and several other similar complaints with the
FCC as part of 99-325. I have already contacted WTOP about this. As
you note there is a problem with daytimers who cheat. One of the
suggestions, one that I support, is to open up another part of the
radio spectrum for stations like daytimers and let them do their
digital thing there. With stations vacating TV channels five and six
for digital TV, that could possibly be a good piece of spectrum to use
for that purpose (Bill Harms, ibid.)
Bill, I also wish the crap of IBOC would disappear. But, never fear
it's here to stay. My bet is that the old channel 5 and 6 will be
taken up with cell phone use. Like we really need more people with a
phone stuck up their ear while driving. Have you seen the HDTV
receivers? They are not any better picture than what we have now.
Perhaps all the digital stuff could move to UHF only and leave analog
on VHF. Nahhhh! That would be too much like right! Your suggestion,
though good, would not happen, as some rich international company (I
bet) has already gotten ownership of it (Willis Monk, ibid.)
Willis, a decent way to deal with that cheating SSer on 1500 might be
to complain to WTOP. Off course they may not care since you live in
TN, but as an example, I complained to WBZ a couple years ago and that
Oldies cheater in GA quickly stopped cheating after WBZ contacted
them. 73 KAZ (Neil Kazaross, IL, ibid.)
In Philadelphia, WXTU-92.5's IBOC remains off now for nearly a month.
They were the first station in the market with it, and the only one
for several months. WRDW-96.5 played with IBOC for a month or so last
Fall, but nothing since (Russ Edmunds, Blue Bell, PA ( 360' ASL ), Aug
8, WTFDA via DXLD) ###